Real Estate Tech - Issue #5

Online real-estate platforms are reporting increased buyer demand as remote-work culture spreads, but whether they will find sellers remains an open question.

Homeward, which has just raised $20 million in equity funding from Adams Street Partners  and another $85 million in debt from undisclosed lenders, pitches a plan where the company will loan money to would-be homebuyers equal to the amount of their home equity so these buyers can make an all-cash offer to purchase their next home. The company also makes a “floor-price” guarantee on the existing home if the owners aren’t able to sell the property for full market value.

The growth of Airbnb and other big travel startups has given a fillip to the wider travel industry, and today several smaller startups in the short-term property sector are announcing that they have merged to tackle the opportunity with more scale.